Microbial Chitinases: Potential Applications in Agriculture

Chitinases are hydrolytic enzymes responsible for chitin decay and play a noteworthy role in balancing carbon and nitrogen proportions within the environment. The chitin structure is composed of repeating β-(1,4)-linked N -acetylglucosamine units. It is a major part of the cell wall of fungi and can also be found in plants, viruses, animals, insect exoskeletons, and crustacean shells. In nature, chitinases are produced by many different microorganisms, mainly bacteria and fungi. Microbial chitinases have a variety of applications in farming, food production, and pharmaceutical industries. Plant diseases are caused by various plant pathogens that lead to significant reductions in crop yields all around the world. Microorganisms that can produce chitinase enzymes and decrease the spread of diseases offer effective and eco-friendly bioshields against various phytopathogens. Most of the microorganisms that break down chitin in soil cannot be identified using traditional microbiological techniques. This means that there is a lot of potential for studying these microorganisms and utilizing them for various applications. The current chapter outlines the structure of microbial chitinases, their classification, their potential applications in various agriculture sectors, especially in biological control, metagenomic methodologies for finding and identifying novel chitin-degrading genes, and future perspectives.